The Islamabad High Court ordered the enforcement of laws targeting online harassment, blackmail, and the unauthorised publicity of private material. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir issued this interim order following a petition submitted by Dr Raana Ahsan.
The court directed the federal government, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to provide reports on how these laws are being implemented. To address coordination gaps and clarify statutory responsibilities, the court instructed the federal government to hold a meeting with the relevant institutions.
Data from the PTA shows a 98.91% compliance rate for matters involving decency and morality, but only 40.38% for cases of defamation or impersonation. The PTA reported compliance rates of 88.68% for TikTok, 87.34% for YouTube, 79.52% for Instagram, and 78.57% for Facebook.
Compliance for Twitter stood at 48.42%, while the PTA recorded 67.43% for sectarian or hate speech and 76.54% for content against the glory of Islam. The PTA also noted a 79.51% compliance rate for terrorism-related cases, a 76.28% rate for contempt of court, and a 59.01% rate for unlawful content concerning Pakistan’s security and defence.
Social media companies have failed to provide affirmative responses to fulfill registration requirements or appoint local compliance and grievance officers since the rules were notified in October 2021. The court scheduled the next hearing for 23 November 2026.
On Monday, the Islamabad High Court directed authorities to remove a citizen’s name from the Passport Control List (PCL). Passport and immigration officials tendered an unconditional apology for the delay in handling the matter, stating that a review committee meeting scheduled for the previous week could not take place.
Justice Azam Khan observed that the court’s order had to be implemented regardless of reports submitted by intelligence agencies. Justice Azam Khan warned that contempt proceedings could lead to punishment and imprisonment if the PCL removal order was not complied with by Tuesday.
